* Large Duck
Breeds:- Pekin
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| Pekin duck, or Long Island duck in
the USA is a breed of domesticated duck used primarily for egg
and meat production. It was bred from the Mallard in China. The
ancestors of those ducks originated from the canals which linked
waterways in Nanjing and originally had small bodies and black
feathers. With the relocation of the Chinese capital to Beijing, supply
barge traffic increased in the area which would often spill grain
during trips the ducks fed. As a result, the ducks slowly increased in
size and were selected for white feathers ( they pluck cleanly!). By
the Five Dynasties, the new species of duck had been domesticated by
Chinese farmers. Now they are graceful multi purpose ducks. . For housing use a large dog kennel or small garden shed to house the ducks or in with the chickens. During the winter they need to be protected against rain, wind, and snow . The shelter must be waterproof, predator proof and well ventilated ( any crap is high in ammonia so small places produce quite a smell). At night ducks must be penned up being vulnerable with their quiet and trusting nature to two and four legged predators. . . they were not named as 'sitting ducks' for nothing** Need deep swimming water at least 8 inches depth to keep feather quality For bedding use straw, paper shreds,wood chip, wood shavings or hay, although I do prefer hay for the nests. Recommend mucking out the enclosure every 2-6 weeks, depending on how many you have in the enclosure, and how big the enclosure is. Queries ask via the domestic - waterfowl club website
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| . Telephone : 01691 655 635 (Shropshire) or Email grahamhickss@hotmail.co.uk |
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